Feet encased in cement, one arm raised in a desperate appeal for offside....the iconic Liberty Island monument only needs a red and white shirt to pass herself off as any of the defenders playing in front of the Sunderland goalkeeper this season.

Black Cats boss David Moyes is taking his players to the Big Apple for a mid-season team bonding break, hoping watching some basketball, ice hockey and a more sobering visit to Ground Zero can help lift his side off the foot of the Premier League.

Moyes defended the trip after the game amid criticism from disgruntled fans.

And midfielder Steven Pienaar said: “Obviously it’s not a holiday - the aim is to get everyone pulling in one direction. You need to get to know your players off the field and it’s really important at this stage.

“It’s a battle every day. Every day you have to put everything in on the training ground to make sure you’re ready for Saturday.

David Moyes’ former Everton and Manchester United army at Sunderland

SUNDERLAND boss David Moyes has brought in yet more of his ex-Everton and Manchester United players.

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David Moyes’ former Everton and Manchester United army at Sunderland

“I just want to give everything and help the team to stay in the Premier League”

Sunderland man Steven Pienaar

“For me to be here and experience this is totally different from other clubs where you know you might end up in the middle of the table. It’s a great challenge for me and I like it.

“Mentally it’s been tough but you come here for a reason and that’s to play and help the club stay in the Premier League.

“For me it’s really a great opportunity to experience this kind of a fight. I just want to give everything and help the team to stay in the Premier League.”

Despite seeing four goals fly into his net Mannone was still Sunderland’s outstanding performer thanks to a series of second-half saves.

After an encouraging 20 minutes at the start, the Black Cats defence was unable to cope with the quality of Manolo Gabbiadini, Southampton’s new £15m signing from Napoli.

Sunderland’s defensive difficulties were a gift for the Gab and the 25-year-old striker cashed in with two goals to add to the one he scored on his debut last week.

Gabbiadini’s goals are not all he brings to the side, though, reckons teammate Nathan Redmond.

“We’ve seen straight away that his finishing is top-drawer - that’s his big strength,” Redmond said. “But he can come in and link the game as well.

“Obviously he’s struggling with the language barrier, but we have an Italian physio here who does a lot of the translating and he’s picked up a few English phrases already. He’s still tactically aware and understood what we wanted to do here.

“Three goals in two games is a great return and the language of football is universal. If you go abroad and start kicking a ball around, people understand. He’s hit the ground running.”

Jason Denayar’s own goal and Shane Long’s composed finish in the closing seconds reflected Southampton’s domination once they survived an awkward opening spell when Sunderland looked in the mood to build on last week’s 4-0 thrashing of fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.

Moyes’s side collapsed, however, once Gabbiadini put Southampton ahead after 30 minutes and he went on to add his second in the final moments of the half.

Pienaar added: “It was the best start since I’ve been at the club. For the first 20 minutes I was sitting on the bench thinking ‘wow, if we can get the first goal it might be an easy afternoon’.

“But Southampton are a good side so they got hold of the game and after the first goal I think a few heads went down and the pressure started getting to the players.

“When you concede a second one just before half-time you’re chasing the game in the second half. We tried to get out and put it right but we were always going to open up at the back and we conceded another two.”